Scarlet Guard, we’re almost finished with our latest mission: to reread every book in the Red Queen series and strategize with your fellow operatives in the official Red Queen Series Facebook Group. We’ve just finished War Storm and we are FULL of emotions. Still catching up? Check out the official recaps of Red Queen, Glass Sword, and King’s Cage, then check out this War Storm recap!
War Storm is the final full-length novel in this electrifying series, and boy does it deliver in epic battles, mind-boggling political intrigue, and stunning character development. If you, like us, are in tears over the ending, don’t forget to check out Broken Throne to find out where all of our favorites end up. One more thing, book nerds: we’re almost ready to dig in, but first we just have to point out: Not only does War Storm have chapters from Mare and Evangeline‘s points of view, we also hear from Cal, Maven, and Iris Cygnet! These new POVs add such fascinating layers to this story and we still aren’t over it. Alright, here we go. And just a reminder…
Read on for the official War Storm recap!
What Happened in War Storm?
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
• The True King of Norta: Another battle at Corvium was fought and won by the Scarlet Guard and their allies. Cal is offered the throne and he takes it, royally pissing Mare off—and breaking her heart a little.
• I Will Not Be a Red Queen: Mare won’t stay with Cal if he takes the throne, and he won’t give it up for her. After talking with Farley and Davidson, Mare realizes that their plan is to divide and conquer. They have no intention of letting Cal keep his throne and will let infighting destroy the Silver nobility.
Check out the recaps for Red Queen, Glass Sword, and King’s Cage to get introductions to characters we’ve already met! See below for the newest Silvers, Reds, and Newbloods that grace the pages of War Storm!
• Princess Iris of the Lakelands: While previously mentioned in King’s Cage as Maven’s betrothed (and eventual wife, making her Queen of Norta), Iris is an even bigger part of the action in War Storm. She and Maven do not get along, and she fears him. Iris is quiet, calculating, and not as unassuming as she seems.
• Queen Cenra of the Lakelands: Iris’s mother, the Queen of the Lakelands. Cenra is cunning and calculating, and cares deeply for her daughters. She wants revenge for the murder of her husband.
• Princess Tiora of the Lakelands: Iris’s older sister, and the heir to the throne of the Lakelands. As their heir, she is usually forbidden from leaving her country for any reason.
• Carmadon: Premier Davidson’s husband, Carmadon is a Silver Greenwarden. Funny and sly, he hosts the delegation of Silvers and member of the Scarlet Guard in the city of Ascendant.
• Volo Samos, King of the Rift: Volo is the father of Evangeline and Ptolemus. He is brilliant and cruel, and uses his children as pawns in his poltical power grabs. At the end of King’s Cage, he crowned himself King of the Rift, a territory outside Norta.
• Salin Iral: A Silk of House Iral, Salin allied himself with Volo and the Rift, and killed King Orrec of the Lakelands.
• Queen Coriane Jacos: Deceased before the action of the Red Queen series, Coriane was King Tiberias’s first wife, Cal’s mother, and Julian’s sister. In War Storm, memories of her influence who Cal is and wants to become.
• Where We Begin: Premier Davidson has to return to Montfort to petition his country to provide more troops and healers to the Scarlet Guard and Nortan cause. A delegation including Mare, Julian, and the now-betrothed (again) Cal & Evangeline will be sent with him to report on the way the democratic nation functions. Evangeline tells Mare that she wants her to stop Cal—Evangeline doesn’t want to be queen, nor does she want Cal to be king.
• Orrec’s Funeral: Maven accompanies Iris to the Lakelands for her father’s funeral, and it’s quite clear they hate each other, though Iris says that she can manipulate him fairly easily. Cenra begs Iris to stay in the Lakelands, but they know she must return to Norta with Maven. They hatch a plan to sway Piedmont from their tenuous alliance with Montfort to the Lakelands: Iris will volunteer herself to rescue Prince Bracken’s children.
• Back with the Barrows: Mare is reunited with her family and Kilorn, and she and Farley tell them the plan: there will be no more Silver kings. Later, Kilorn and Mare run into Julian, who has clearly chosen the side of the throne. He tries to get Mare to go easy on Cal, and she rebukes him.
• Evangeline in Ascendant: Queen Anabel tells Evangeline that her husband, the former King of Norta, had a male lover. Once they reach Ascendant in Montort, she is equal parts awed and disgusted by the freedom she sees. Davidson introduces them to his husband, Cardamon, and tells Evangeline she could have the same (she could have Elane) in an equal world. Same sex marriage is considered “a waste of Silver blood” in Norta.
• A Raider Attack: While at a dinner party hosted by Davidson and Cardamon, Raiders—Silvers who refuse to live in an equal world—attack the city. During the battle, a Silence attacks Mare, which sends her spiraling until Farley kills him. The delegation finally overtakes the Raiders, and the rest escape into the night.
• Iris’s Mission: From Iris’s point of view, we learn that the attack was a ruse to lure everyone out of the city so that she and her team can sneak in and rescue Prince Bracken’s children, who are being held as collateral in a prison of Silent Stone.
• The People’s Gallery: Mare is inspired by the show of equality in the People’s Gallery as Davidson lobbies his nation for more support. Davidson, Farley, Mare, and Cal field questions from the politicians about the wisdom of propping up not one but two Silver kingdoms (the Rift and Norta). Cal tells the assembly that he will be different from his father and, in a surprise show of humility, bows before them. The assembly votes to give more support to the cause.
• The Base Falls: Mare & co. learn that Prince Bracken’s children were taken, and Bracken stormed the Piedmont base that was controlled by Montfort and the Scarlet Guard. Many Reds and Newbloods were killed or imprisoned, though many more escaped. Using the connection between the Newblood triplets, Mare and Cal speak to Maven, who mocks them both. Farley informs him that the base is wired with explosives, and he agrees to release the prisoners to save his soldiers.
• Evangeline as Matchmaker?: In the most unlikely twist, Evangeline, Elane, and Ptolemus plot to get Mare and Cal back together in the hopes that Cal will abandon the crown for Mare. She forces them together (to which Mare responds “you might as well just shove us in a closet and lock the door” which killed us). They talk for a while about battle plans and honestly, out hearts were breaking at all the things they left unsaid!
• Iris’s Choice: After a rousing speech to Nortans, Iris is accosted by Anabel and Julian and asked to delier a message to her mother: they offer up Salin Iral and Volo Samos as a trade for removing Maven from the throne.
• Assault on New Town: In their (ultimately successful) mission to liberate the techie slum of New Town, Kilorn is nearly killed by a Silver, but a Newblood healer saves his life (and thank GOD, because it also appears that there’s ~something~ going on with him and Cameron Cole).
• Assault on Harbor Bay: OEvangeline never believed that her father would put her and Ptolemus on the frontlines, but here they are. They are attacked by Lakeland Nymphs, including Iris Cygnet commanding an ocean. Panicked, Evangeline and Ptolemus nearly drown as Iris floods Fort Patriot, and they see that their sea assault has failed. They run into Farley and Scarlet Guard soldiers and Evangeline feats for Ptolemus’s life (we still haven’t forgotten that you murdered Shade, Ptolemus!!!) After regrouping with Cal, Evangeline and Ptolemus are jumped onto battleships to shoot cannons at Iris’s boat.
• Mare Arrives on Scene: She is terrified to see Cal battling Iris, especially when he falls into the water and nearly dies. After continuing the battle, they win Harbor Bay, and the palace at Ocean Hill (his mother’s favorite place) is prepped for Cal to take over. The Lord of House Rhambos surrenders to Cal and calls him the “True King of Norta.” Mare and Cal reunite, though they both promise it changes nothing.
• Maven is Still Terrifying: In Maven’s first narration, we learn that Queen Elara still whispers inside his head. He laments losing Harbor Bay to Cal and still wonders what life would be like with Mare at his side.
• A Summit of Kings: Cal requests a summit with Maven, and he agrees to meet on Province island, Rhambos Territory. Much to Mare’s dismay, Maven has outfitted the island in Silent Stone. As they all prepare to leave—both sides refusing to acquiesce—Anabel and Julian’s plan is fully revealed: Iris and Queen Cenra betray Maven for the chance to kill Salin Iral. Evangeline realizes that they plan to trade her father, as well, but says nothing. When Maven is handed over to Cal, Mare, and the rest, it’s pretty pitiful: he speaks to his mother’s voice, saying “I did as you said. I did as you said.”
• Back at Harbor Bay: Maven is brought before the leaders of the alliance and is sentenced to death. In a last-ditch effort to tug on the heartstrings of those who loved him, he requests being buried with his mother and to die at Mare’s hand. Mare refuses. Later, Farley, Davidson, and Mare bring their ultimatum to Cal: they will end the alliance unless he steps down. Cal, in turn, refuses. Instead, he promises to end Red conscription and give them better living conditions. Not satisfied, Montfort and the Scarlet Guard end the alliance and steal Maven away.
• Evangeline’s Love for Elane: We start to see how Evangeline’s love for Elane has eclipsed her loyalty to her family. She finally tells Cal that she thinks her father will be killed, but that she doesn’t want to do anything to stop it. Without him, she will finally be free.
• Jon the Seer: Back at the Montfort capitol, Mare sees Jon, who tells her that she hasn’t done anything to change her path: to rise, and rise alone. We then learn a SHOCKING twist: Jon set Mare’s path in motion. He killed Kilorn’s master all the way back in the beginning of Red Queen so that Mare would try to save her friend from conscription. In our humble opinion, this is a BRILLIANT plot point. Our minds? Blown. Jon also tells Mare that the Lakelands plan to attack Archeon, and if they win, cal will never regain control of Norta.
• Cal’s Coronation: Cal’s coronation is sparsely attended, missing many entire High Houses. Power outages are becoming more common as the techie slums are abandoned, due to his proclamation of freedom.
• Coriane’s Diary: When questioned by Julian why he won’t abdicate, Cal tells him “this is my father’s crown.” Julian replies, “But the crown is not your father. It isn’t your mother either. And it won’t bring either of them back.” We learn that Julian gave Cal a copy of his mother’s diary, and Cal sees that she didn’t want him to be a warrior: she wanted him to bring peace to Norta.
• Maven is STILL Terrifying: Maven is imprisoned in Silent Stone, but he still hears Elara’s whispers. He muses that he will likely kill Mare at the end of this.
• Evangeline’s Last Defiance: The Lakelands are attacking Archeon, but Volo won’t allow Cal to use Evangeline and Ptolemus on the frontlines—not out of love, but to protect his lineage. Evangline has finally had enough; she attacks her father and tries to leave, only to be attacked by wolves under her mother’s control, her metal armor stripped away by her father’s ability. Ptolemus, finally growing a spine, attacks their father and kills the wolf. Finding Cal, Evangeline tells him, “If it isn’t too late for me, it isn’t too late for you.” She plans to travel to Montfort.
• The Trains: Maven convinced Montfort and the Scarlet Guard that only he can get them into Archeon by telling them which tunnels are still in use, but only if they take him with them. Once they get to the Treasury at Archeon, a bomb hits and Maven escapes.
• I’m Done With Crowns: After reuniting on the battlefield, Cal tells Mare that he’s done with crowns (finally!!!). Abandoned by his children, Volo is killed by Julian as the final piece in their deal with Iris and Cenra.
• The Defeat of the Nymphs: Using new technology that the Lakelanders were completely unaware of (i.e. submarines), the Scarlet Guard overtakes the Lakeland fleet. Iris, Queen Cenra, and their remaining soldiers are defeated, and they retreat.
• Maven’s Death: Maven tries to escape, but finds all of his passageways flooded. Mare finds him and so ensues a terrifying, heartbreaking fight. Maven tries to appeal to her feelings, but Mare tells him this: “the last person who loves you isn’t standing in this room.” Discussion point, Scarlet Guard: did Maven let Mare kill him? He shifts his weight off of her arm, allowing her to swing with her dagger. When she does, she says his eyes seem satisfied. Cue ugly sobbing. TBH, we’re gonna miss that little psychopath.
• Epilogue: Work must be done to rebuild Norta, but in the meantime, Mare returns to Montfort. She decides that she has to figure out who she is, and she has to do it without Cal. Eventually, though—she will return for him.
That’s it for this War Storm recap!